stripping basket

I have the LL Bean basket and It is GREAT. It has a curved side to it that makes it more comfortable that a shopping basket and the molded rod holder is nice. At $20 - you can't beat it.

I am a big advocate of a stripping basket. I use an intermediate sinker and I shoot it for distance. A typical cast will involve shooting 30+ ft of line (in addition to the line outside the rod tip). I have tried this without the basket and it really doesn't work. The intermediate line gets half sunk in the water and the shooting power of the cast can't pull all of it out of the water friction. When the line is sitting in the basket the shooting power has no problem pulling it right out and ZING! you've got a long cast. While this is usefull for SRC (but not necessary - they swim in close to shore), I found it to be very handy when fishing for pinks and silvers which hang out a ways out there.

Yea I say it's pretty much Puget Sound beach fishing standard equipment. Keeps your line out of the current, away from your feet, out of rocks, out of barnacles, helps with sea weed not fouling your line and adds to your casting didtance. Lots of advantages I say. Almost everyone I fish with either uses the Ovis or LL Bean stripping basket.
I don't think you'll regret getting one.
Joe

I like using a stripping basket too when wading the shore. Mine's a big red bastard that I made myself. All it takes is a bungy cord and some sort of crate or tube type thing.

The LL Bean basket looks cool, but if I got it I'd think about punching a few drain holes in the bottom of it. While there isn't really a surf in the Sound, I wouldn't want a sneaker barge wake to catch it and fill it up if wading a bit deep to reach some deep fish. It could throw you off balance and cause an unexpected swim. The Sound usually ranges from cold, to very cold.

LL Bean basket for $20 can't be beat.
Like Dizane said though, drill a couple of (small) drain holes in the plastic bottom for drainage. The interior cones make a BIG difference in managing tangles over the collapsible mesh.

I have a collapsible mesh I take with me on airline trips, but prefer the rigid basket with cones when practical. With soft mesh the lines bunches at the bottom and tangles, and unless the rim is rigid, the wind and surf will blow it closed. You can buy insertable cone base into the bottom of the mesh basket, but then you might as well just buy the rigid bottomed basket from the outset.

You will get better distances when shooting line with a basket, and it keeps the line out of the seaweed and current.

The LL bean deal is tough to beat but if you insist on making your own look-alike, you can use a rubbermaid plastic basket (see above) and those plastic champagne flutes that come disassembled in the box. Glue/epoxy six or so of the cone shaped parts of the flutes upside down at the bottom of the basket and that should do the trick.
You'll then have the "seasonned", "custom made", "tough guy", ... look of a true Northwest salt water fly fisherman.

Like some others, I have constructed one of my own from a $.99 plastic 14"x16" plastic tub with a bungee I found along the street during a morning walk. In the bottom I RTVd 6 small leftover pudding cups to control the line after I saw this done to a self-made one worn by a nice young lady at Chico Creek last fall. Very effective, very inexpensive. I haven't put any holes in the bottom as I have found that it will float my thermos jug that way.

Once I started using a basket, I won't go back to beach fishing without one. I've also started taking a 15gal size kitchen waste basket with me when fishing from a boat. It is a great way to manage the lne, plus I can just put the rod down in it while I move to a different spot.

I've got to throw my .02 in on the L L Bean basket. For the money it can't be beat. I think it came to a total of 24.95 including shipping. A great tool.

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iagree Another nice thing about the LL Bean model is the notches they put on either side to rest your rod in while tying on another clouser - don't know if anyone mentioned those yet. You could probably jerry rig something like that on a homemade model but it wouldn't be pretty.

My solution was to cut a couple of raduised notches in the top of the tub and RTV in a couple of half round sections of PVC. One might use some rigid pipe foam insulation if you desire a padded rod rest.

... One might use some rigid pipe foam insulation if you desire a padded rod rest.

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Banzai, good idea, hadn't thought of that. I use the rod rest constantly to free up both hands when changing up flies, pulling out a flask, etc.; it would be nice to have the notch padded with insulation to keep it more stable. Might even put in a couple of foam rubber rod holders I have laying around to completely secure it.:thumb:

I use a rubbermade an drill the bottom and poke electrical ties thru the holes. It works great with a bungee cord. The real advantage is that I can pull the ties out, fill it with my reeels and lines and pack it in my luggage when traveling. The collapsables don't have this utility.

I just ordered the LL Bean for $19 and change. I'll try it out and compare it my home made jobber. Mine works, but it is kinda big and boxy - I feel like a hot dog vendor at safeco feild when I'm wearing it...

I have the LL Bean basket as well. Good value, but it will only sit directly in front of you. One thing I like about the softer baskets is that you can shift them a little to the left so they don't interfere with casting/reeling as much.